


Dark Release

by courtneywoods



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Porn, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bottom Evil Queen | Regina Mills, Dark One Emma Swan, Dark Swan Arc (Once Upon a Time), Dominance, Eventual Happy Ending, Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Dark One Emma Swan, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Lesbian Sex, Mention of a dick but it can be interpreted as magic!dick or strap depending on preference, Not Canon Compliant, Resolved Sexual Tension, Rough Sex, Sexual Content, Sexual Frustration, Sexual Tension, Smut, Sorry if this leaves you sexually frustrated for a bit, Teasing, This isn't BDSM but some people assume rough sex is BDSM so this is my note on that, Top Emma Swan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:22:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23174608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/courtneywoods/pseuds/courtneywoods
Summary: Regina has a history of enduring the antics of a Dark One. But when Emma Swan returns to Storybrooke after sacrificing herself to save Regina from the darkness, Regina quickly realizes she’s in for a new awakening. As she works to free Emma from this dark hold, she learns just how far a dark Emma Swan can push her beyond her limits.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Comments: 72
Kudos: 634





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [starsthatburn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsthatburn/gifts).



> As some of you know, the infamous starsthatburn had planned to gift the fandom with a gloriously smutty and equally angsty Dark Swan story, but decided not to pursue writing it for reasons she has expressed on social media. To honor the greatness and potential, I took the concept of her idea and brought it to life with this story. Because of that, I am gifting this work to her. I'm sure many of you are aware that I LIVE for top!Regina, but I simply could not resist giving DarkSwanQueen the deliciously smutty and angsty story that we were robbed of.
> 
> I will be posting one chapter a day, so I hope you all enjoy reading along. I can't wait to hear your feedback! Find me on Twitter @courtneyhope_

The walk down Main Street was painful. Not just because the frigid winter air stung Regina’s exposed cheeks, but because the town she created was nearly unrecognizable. With countless establishments still ablaze, citizens running amok, and a weird smell of wood and musk that seemed to loom in the air lately, Storybrooke felt vastly different from the way she remembered it.

The most drastic change of all – one that made Regina’s stomach coil up inside of itself – was the punishing absence of red leather and blonde curls.

She’d spent so many years resenting Emma Swan for everything she stood for: hope, lightness, and second chances. And yet, from the moment Emma picked up the dagger and looked at Regina with hopeless eyes before engulfing herself in the ripples of dark magic, she finally realized she couldn’t live without the woman she’d grown to find endearing.

Compared to her history with Dark Ones in the past, Emma was rather tame. Causing riots among the town was more of an inconvenience to the mayor than anything else. But that didn’t stop her from marching up the front steps of the dull stucco house that Emma now called home. It was a house that seemed to mirror Emma’s new appearance much more than her old one.

She took one quick glimpse over her shoulder, eyeing the yellow Volkswagen Bug that used to make her cringe. Now, it just made her miss all the quirks that made Emma who she was. She dropped her gaze.

She didn’t bother knocking as Regina pushed the door open. The house felt cold and unfamiliar, but she sensed Emma’s presence immediately among the various shades of grey.

“Swan.” Her voice vibrated in rage. “Where the hell are you?”

Regina gripped at the fabric of her red blazer. Her eyes drank in the sight of a painfully unrecognizable Emma Swan who had appeared before her in a haze of smoke that looked more like a fog with its muted coloring.

“You know, it’s customary to bring a gift to a housewarming. Maybe a nice bottle of wine?” Emma’s tone was playful and only egged Regina on.

“We need to talk,” Regina said flatly, ignoring the jab as she pursed her lips and walked further into the eerie and unfamiliar territory until she found the living room.

“Or, I suppose we could bottle that rage of yours and drink it instead.” Emma hummed with sarcasm as her hands slipped into the front pockets of her black trench coat. Her collar was raised and made her slicked-back icy white bun look even more foreign to Regina.

Regina brought her hands to her hips as she pivoted. She faced Emma, who smiled with an air of superiority. She seemed to be tracing every footstep Regina took, as if every movement had a purpose.

“I don’t know what game you’re playing,” she began. “But you need to put an end to this. Right now.”

It had been two days since this _new_ Emma, this Dark One, returned to Storybrooke and she could say with confidence that Regina had endured enough of her for a lifetime. The arrogance, the unbearable attire, the new strut in her step, the stark red lipstick that looked jarring against pale skin. It was insufferable.

The moment she saw Emma Swan’s name etched into the dagger, her chest had plummeted, but she’d still remained hopeful. After all, that is what Emma had taught her to do for all these years. She knew Emma. She knew she was light; she knew she was strong enough to defeat anything life threw her way. But now? Now, her confidence was wavering.

“An end to what, Madam Mayor?” Her voice was smug, and Regina’s palm ached to slap it out of her.

“Whatever act you have going on here. You may be the Dark One, but that doesn’t give you any right to go around Storybrooke taking your anger issues out on both the citizens and the establishments of my town. The library nearly caught fire yesterday.”

Regina was pacing now, doing everything in her power to remain calm and not make matters worse, but someone needed to put a stop to this madness before Emma got out of hand.

Emma didn’t say a word, she just followed Regina’s footsteps with her red-rimmed eyes.

“I’m sick of cleaning up after your mess, Miss Swan.”

“It seems like someone can’t handle receiving a taste of her own medicine. Considering I had to spend years undoing the mess _you_ made — in case you’ve forgotten.” Her tone sharpened, and she leaned in as she spoke, bringing Regina’s pacing feet to a halt.

“Emma,” her voice softened, trying a different tactic. “I know you. The good you. It’s still in there.” Regina took two steps closer to Emma, but Emma just shook her head.

“You of all people know there are no good or bad versions of ourselves,” she was practically yelling, and Regina sucked back a sharp breath that filled her stomach. “It is **just me**.” She spewed with venom, her mouth dangerously close to Regina’s.

“How did you get like this?” Regina shook her head.

“That’s one way to say thank you,” Emma scoffed, stepping an inch closer so that Regina had no choice but to edge back. “Let me make myself clear, Regina. I am done fixing your problems.” Her eyes looked like they would catch fire with the way they were glaring in Regina’s direction.

“My problems?” Forgetting about the step back that she had just taken, she took two steps forward in attempt to force Emma away from her, but Emma didn’t budge. “You started this.”

Emma practically laughed as she rolled her eyes. “You think I did this?”

“Would I be here otherwise?”

They were centimeters apart. The tension in the air hummed off of both of them and felt thick and sticky.

“That’s your problem, Regina. You’re always looking for someone else to blame.” Emma’s defensive tone startled Regina and, for the first time, she felt like Emma was speaking down to her.

Regina’s eyes narrowed in confusion.

“I didn’t tell you to take the darkness.”

“You wouldn’t have been able to handle it,” Emma threw back in accusation. “The Dark One and the Evil Queen combined? The town would’ve been damned to hell if you had taken it. You should be thanking me.”

Emma’s lips curled into a pout that still looked dark and devious but were nothing compared to the way her eyes flashed back at Regina. She looked as if all she wanted right now was to throw Regina out the front door. But Regina returned the look, wanting to shove Emma up against the wall.

Words suddenly couldn’t come to Regina as she opened her mouth, and instead she scowled. Emma leaned in, backing Regina up until she felt the surface of drywall brush against her back.

“Just leave,” Emma commanded.

When Regina didn’t move, Emma opened her mouth again.

“I’m not going to ask you again.”

When Regina realized Emma hadn’t used her magic yet to exude any power over her, she pressed her lips together and blinked. She wasn’t sure what she could say at this point, but she knew she wasn’t leaving.

Suddenly, a sensation washed over her. She hadn’t felt like this since the beginning months after Emma first arrived in Storybrooke. It was a thrill, really – this rush of adrenaline pulsing through her, as both she and Emma inched closer, eager to see who would back away first.

“I’m not leaving until you tell me you’ll put an end to this game,” Regina finally spoke, breaking the silence that lingered in the little space remaining between them. “I can’t have you putting anyone in danger.”

“The only person who is in danger right now is you if you don’t get out of my house.”

Emma stepped closer to Regina, who realized she’d been backed against the wall and had nowhere to go.

“You can’t threaten me,” she laughed. But her voice trembled ever so slightly, and they both heard it.

“It seems like I can – and like it’s working. Look at the way you’re trembling. How does it feel, Madam Mayor? Being terrified of the woman you once threatened to destroy?”

“Terrified? Please.” Regina sneered.

But then she felt a cold hand press her backward, pinning her hard into the wall and she winced – the mixture of pain and shock evident on her face. When she looked up, Emma was still peering down at her, her eyes dark and fixed on her like an animal watching its prey.

“Emma, get off of me,” she snapped as she tried to shrug off the sensation of Emma’s fingernails that were now clawing into her shoulders.

“Why? What are you going to do?”

Regina shook her head. She wouldn’t hurt Emma. She couldn’t. But this woman wasn’t the Emma Swan she knew. Yet, a part of her was still visible behind the ridged, cold Dark One in front of her.

One of Emma’s hands slid up over Regina’s shoulder, making an agonizingly slow trail up her neck until her finger landed on the sharp cut of her jawline.

“Are you even going to fight back? Or are you just going to sit back and take it?” Emma smirked.

Regina swallowed, shaking her head. “I’m not fighting you, Emma.”

“Then you’re wasting your time. You have nothing for me, so you can go.”

But her actions didn’t match her demands. Her fingers remained steady as they began brushing back and forth over the skin of Regina’s neck. Regina’s stomach fluttered as every muscle inside of her body ached.

“You want me to fight back? Is that what you want?” Regina choked, not realizing how much of an impact Emma’s touch was having on her until she tried to speak.

Emma practically cackled for only a moment before she shook her head.

“Then what do you —”

Emma leaned forward and pressed her lips to Regina’s with no sign of delicacy. It was hard and rough, causing Regina’s head to collide against the wall.

Regina blinked, realizing Emma was waiting for her to put a stop to this. But she couldn’t. Her body was frozen. She was pinned against the wall and she didn’t want to pull away, whether she cared to admit that to herself or not. Instead, she parted her lips in attempt to deepen the kiss.

Swiftly, Emma pulled back and Regina exhaled as she caught her bottom lip between her teeth. She couldn’t speak as she watched the way Emma’s eyes glimmered in a torturously wicked way.

“Get the hell out of my house,” Emma repeated simply.

Before Regina could speak, a cloud of grey smoke enveloped Emma and she disappeared along with it.

Regina stared at the empty room, unblinking. Her chest heaved and ached in tandem — but she wasn’t sure what for. The fury combined with the desperation she felt grew stronger. When the house’s silence became too overwhelming for her, she finally mustered the courage to leave, unsure how to process what had just happened.


	2. Chapter 2

Three days passed. Three days since the first time Emma had kissed her. Three long, miserable days where Regina spent the majority of her time sulking around town acting as if it meant nothing to her in a poor attempt to bait Emma back to her – desperate for answers. It wasn’t working.

In fact, Regina hadn’t caught even a single glimpse of that ridiculous icy white hair since their last encounter. The one that left Regina breathless as confliction and arousal overwhelmed her senses and made it impossible for her to speak.

“Fuck you, Emma Swan,” she muttered to herself in the comfort of her office. Her words weren’t loud enough to echo off the walls, but it felt like they did with the way the room seemed to shrink in on her.

One thing she was grateful for, however, was the fact that Emma seemed to be staying out of trouble now that she’d gone into hiding. Despite it proving an impossible task for Regina to get the answers she so desperately desired, she was grateful her town seemed safe from a Dark One.

Returning to her regular work routine proved to be a more difficult task than she anticipated. The impending stack of paperwork felt as if it were growing as the day went on, rather than shrinking. She realized her jaw was clenched when she peered down again, frowning at the same sheet of stark-white paper that had been lying in front of her for hours. She didn’t even know what the contents of the paper were – it didn’t really matter, though. Her mind was elsewhere.

She pushed her open palms against the ledge of the desk, propelling her swivel chair backward. Standing, she decided to call this day a loss. She gathered her purse and wandered toward the door.

“Leaving so soon?” The husky voice vibrated across the room and sent a shiver down Regina’s spine. She swallowed, resenting the way even the sound of Emma’s voice was having such an effect on her.

“Last I checked, Miss Swan, my office is accessible on an appointment-only basis,” she turned to see Emma clad in her ridiculous black leather attire. Her legs were crossed as she leaned back casually against the edge of Regina’s desk. “Unless you’ve phoned my secretary, you may see yourself out.”

Despite her desperate desire to turn and beg Emma to give her an explanation for whatever the hell she put her through the other evening, she had way too much self-respect.

She turned to walk toward the door once more but when the sound of heavy boots on linoleum reverberated through the room, she turned to pivot again in her Manolo’s. Before she could fully turn her body, however, the weight of Emma’s extended arm collided with the wall just above Regina’s shoulder, pining her in place.

“Miss Swan, I don’t have time for any more of your games. Unless you care to indulge me in whatever it is you’ve wasted your time coming here for, you know the way out.”

“Isn’t it obvious, Madam Mayor?”

“No, Emma, I’m afraid it isn’t. Unless you’re here for fashion advice – which you desperately need. I don’t know what kind of charade you’re playing but—”

“You say that like you’re not the one who made me like this,” Emma interrupted.

“I never told you to do this. You did this all on your own. And I’m not the one who seems to have turned this into a mind game.” She added the last jab in hope of eliciting a discussion about what happened. But Emma stayed silent.

Running an excruciatingly slow finger down over Regina’s jawline, Emma used her index finger to lift Regina’s head up – demanding her full attention. The fact that Emma now had a slight height advantage over her was making Regina livid. She was the one who usually held all the power, and this new sensation of Emma towering over her was making her feel small. Feeling out of control wasn’t something she ever did willingly.

And yet, something about the way Emma was looking at her stirred something unfamiliar inside of her core.

Emma leaned her body weight in closer. Regina couldn’t suppress the soft gasp that escaped her parted lips in response. For a moment, she thought Emma might kiss her again. But, instead, she heard a deep laugh echo around her. Regina’s jaw tensed as a fire burned behind her narrowed eyes.

“I _know_ you’re not laughing at me,” Regina threatened, trying her best to keep her voice regal and composed – but it had failed her as it came out breathless. She tried to straighten her posture, rolling her shoulders back as she stood up straighter. But, to her dismay, Emma pushed her shoulders back until the arch of her shoulder blade collided with the wall.

“Pathetic,” Emma scoffed. Her lips were inches from Regina’s mouth and the air they were sharing felt like it was being vacuumed out of the room.

The one word alone would’ve typically resulted in the end of someone’s life with just the simple flick of a wrist and a snap of their neck. But, instead, she whimpered. She found herself helpless for the _second_ time in as long as she could remember. And, this time, she didn’t hate it. In fact, she craved more. But she also knew she needed answers.

“Emma,” she practically moaned. Her dark eyes locked on the green ones she had spent years admiring in secret. They looked different now that she was like this – they were hiding a sadness that Regina couldn’t place.

Emma grabbed Regina by the throat and she felt her pulse quicken. Nobody ever dared to threaten her, let alone to touch her like this.

“I recommend you remove your hands from my throat immediately, unless you have a death wish, Miss Swan,” she managed to say as she regained control over her own voice for the first time in what felt like days.

Instead, Emma smirked. Her free hand swept upward, brushing a strand of Regina’s dark locks behind her ear as she leaned in. Her breath was warm on Regina’s now-exposed neck.

“I prefer you like this, Madam Mayor,” Emma whispered warmly into her ear. Regina’s eyes shut as her shoulders trembled at the sensation. “At my mercy.”

Suddenly, the chokehold around her throat was gone and she felt a coldness in the air. Her eyes fluttered open immediately and she faced the empty room. A shaky breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding escaped and she felt her lip tremble.

She clenched her fists as her vision clouded in front of her eyes. The blind rage she felt bubbling inside of her was dangerous and she grabbed the nearest object. The sound of glass shattering was satisfying as the object crashed against the wall. But as soon as it fell to the floor, the rage returned once more.

She grabbed her bag from the desk and slammed the door shut behind her.

Making her way to her car, one of the dwarves – which one, she didn’t really care – approached her.

“Oh, Regina. I was hoping to catch you. We’ve made a discovery down in the mines,” he began. Regina wasn’t listening. “We think we’ve figured out what the Dark O—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Regina gritted her teeth and waved her wrist. Before her eyes, she watched as the skin of the dwarf vanished and was quickly replaced by grey stone.

She sped off in her Mercedes, with no regard for her driving speed. The town’s sheriff wasn’t patrolling, anyway.

She slammed her front door and it vibrated on its hinges, the frame threatening to shatter. But she still wasn’t satisfied. She could burn down a whole building right now and she still wouldn’t feel better. Nothing could make this better.

Three more objects from her living room managed to shatter before nightfall. Two bottles of Bordeaux hadn’t helped much either. Her bottom lip was now cracked from biting at it and she was certain she’d wake up in the morning with a sore jaw from keeping it clenched for so long.

She climbed under the sheets and wanted, desperately, to pull them over her head and scream. Instead, she found her hand wandering under the waistband of her silky pajama bottoms.

As much as she hated to admit it, this pent-up frustration boiled down to her body’s betrayal. The fact that she was turned on by the way Emma had her pinned made her sick to her stomach, but it didn’t stop her mind from dragging her back to the sensation she felt. The way she lost control for the first time. The way Emma’s warmth felt on her neck. The way she had a hand around her throat and didn’t murder anyone for it immediately afterward.

Her fingers dipped between soaked folds and she let out a muffled moan. She was quickly learning that the thought of Emma taking control of her was having a surprising effect on her body. Her pace quickened as she teased her clit and gasped.

“My, my. That didn’t take long.”

Regina froze and snapped her head up in the direction of the voice. Propping herself up onto her elbows, her eyes narrowed. She stared back at the smirk on Emma’s face.

“Oh, don’t let me stop you. You look pretty wound up. I’ll let you finish.”

“Get the **_hell_** out of my bedroom, Miss Swan or so help me—”

“Your empty threats are growing a little stale, you know? Besides, if this is how you are after only two measly kisses – I’d be willing to bet you’re quite a mess after a little more of what you so _desperately_ need from me.”

Before Regina could say another word, she lifted her hand. The weight of Emma’s slender body collided into the wall and hit with a hard thud.

In less than an instant, Regina was looming over Emma’s collapsed position on the carpet. She reached down and gripped her by the throat – mimicking Emma’s earlier action.

“You look beautiful like this,” Emma said – her tone shifting as she smiled in admiration. Her words sounded soothing and tender as she stood with ease. Slowly, she wrapped her long fingers loosely around the wrist pressed up against her throat and eased it off of her.

“Wha- what?” Regina’s eyebrows squished together as she blinked, dropping the hold on Emma’s neck. She knew this version of Emma was cruel and manipulative, but hearing her voice soften like that was an entirely new sensation and she felt her stomach flutter.

“I’ve never seen you with your hair pulled back like that,” Emma reached out and tousled a messy strand that tumbled from her loosely-tied updo. “And without any makeup,” she added as she traced her cheekbone lightly.

Regina’s breathing quickened again. Her body temperature increased several degrees as she licked her dry lips and looked up at Emma, feeling even more vulnerable than she had earlier.

She was barefoot, in pajamas, without makeup, staring up at the sleek, leather-clad Emma who had far too much mascara on.

Her breath hitched as Emma’s fingers traced her worried lip she’d been chewing at.

“What is it?” Emma’s head tilted slightly, watching Regina with curiosity.

Regina didn’t know how to answer. Even if she tried to speak, she was certain nothing would come out. She shook her head slowly only once.

“Oh, have I left the high and mighty Evil Queen speechless?” Emma mocked as the devilish smirk reappeared across her face.

“N- no,” Regina muttered.

Emma laughed – the sound harsh and cold. Regina felt that same sensation of fury and arousal she’d felt earlier, and she shook her head once more.

“What? Ashamed to admit that you actually enjoy being out of control for once, Madam Mayor?”

“Stop talking,” Regina commanded, knowing she couldn’t take much more of the mocking tone.

Emma gripped Regina’s shoulders then shoved, sending her backward until she fell onto the bed. Emma straddled her slender frame, looming over her as she leaned forward and pressed her lips against Regina’s – kissing her, hard.

“Is that what you needed, your majesty?” Emma asked with a sly laugh.

Regina wanted to argue. Wanted to snap back at her. Hell, she wanted to hit her right now. But she couldn’t. Because Emma was right. That was _exactly_ what she needed.

Through narrowed eyes, Regina didn’t bother to nod her head or respond. Instead, she grabbed at the base of Emma’s neck and pulled her back down until their lips met again. Her moans felt trapped against Emma’s unforgiving mouth as she deepened their kiss.

The weight of Emma’s knee suddenly cut up against her thigh, forcing her legs to fall apart.

“Fuck,” Regina muttered, unsure when she had last accidentally let a curse word slip from being so aroused.

“Oh, your majesty,” Emma tsked, her tone disapproving. As if on cue, Regina felt herself getting wetter at the use of the formal title that made her feel foolish when she was splayed out on the bed at Emma’s mercy. “I can feel the heat radiating off of your cunt already.”

Emma’s gaze was unforgiving, dilated green eyes burning into every inch of Regina who felt vulnerably exposed in her silky lace pajama set.

“I bet you’re soaked just from touching yourself to thoughts of me earlier.”

Regina’s head jerked in tandem with a newfound heat flushing through her body.

“I was not thinking of you,” she lied through gritted teeth. She knew, somewhere deep down, she still had an ounce of dignity left and she clung to it in desperation. She wouldn’t let Emma win without a fight.

Emma didn’t even bother to acknowledge the pathetic attempt of a rebuttal. She grinned and sunk her teeth into her bottom lip. Her gaze remained fixed on the swell of Regina’s breasts. Leaning down again, she captured Regina’s supple skin of her neck between her teeth. Biting down, she relished in the sound of Regina crying out.

Planting a hard kiss on the spot she had just marked, Emma dragged her tongue up the length of her neck until she found Regina’s pulse point. When Regina’s cries transitioned to moans, Emma’s lips curled into a smirk.

Emma’s long fingers danced up Regina’s olive thigh, easing her way under the hem of the silky bottoms. Her fingers settled on the dip of skin just inches from her cunt and she pushed her thigh down harder. Regina felt her stomach muscles tighten in anticipation and she studied the way Emma was observing her body’s reaction to her touch.

The sudden realization dawned on her: Regina never had felt this level of anticipation for anything in the past, and her eyes gleamed just before she let them fall shut. The sensation of Emma’s fingers became overwhelming and she was ready to give in and let Emma take everything she wanted from her.

“Emma,” she whispered, her tone breathless and needy.

But when she heard the whooshing sound and the sensation of cold air on her flushed skin, she sat up. Blinking, she took in the sight of the empty room.

“Are you _fucking_ kidding me,” she screamed. She raked her fingers through her hair all the way from her temples to the base of her skull and huffed a breath that did little to release the tension that was coiling inside her chest.

Tears of frustration burned her eyes. She curled her legs into her chest, inching her limp body upward until she felt the back of her head hit the pillow and she instantly let out a choked sob.

It had been well over 30 years since she allowed herself to feel so vulnerable, and for what? The presence of Emma Swan lingered in her bedroom and she squeezed her eyes shut — hoping she could pretend it was all just a horrible nightmare as she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry (not really) for leaving you guys hanging a full 24 hours after the last chapter. Hopefully this chapter helps a BIT. Enjoy!

Regina thought that her worst flaw was her short temper, but she was sorely mistaken. While she had a lot of things go wrong in her life due to her temper, it was nothing compared to the way her lack of patience was now sending her down a path of self-destruction.

She hadn’t seen nor heard from Emma in nearly a week, and all she could do was wait. And it wasn’t boding well.

Not only did she still feel a dull ache in her core that wouldn’t go away, no matter what she tried, but part of her still loathed herself for letting Emma get the upper hand over her in the first place.

She tried approaching Emma’s house again, but it appeared to have been abandoned. As far as the entire town was concerned, the Dark One had either left Storybrooke on her own accord or found a place to hide out with no food or shelter where nobody could lay an eye on her. No more damaged buildings, no more frightened citizens.

But Regina didn’t buy it for a minute.

“Mom, you okay?” Henry asked when he realized Regina hadn’t touched her dinner. This wasn’t the first meal she wasn’t able to stomach since this version of Emma came to town.

“Hm?” She snapped out of her thoughts – ones that were constantly swarming with the sight of Emma straddling her in her own bedroom. With the sight of Emma’s devious smirk as she ran her fingers up her thigh. But also, the slight flicker of sadness she swore she had seen behind Emma’s raging eyes. That was the hardest sight of all to shake.

“Mom?”

“Sorry, Henry. Yeah, I’m okay. I just don’t think I’m very hungry.”

He nodded in understanding. Standing, he grabbed her dish and carried it to the kitchen. She pushed her chair back and followed him, wondering when the hell her son had grown so much before her very eyes.

Henry was grabbing a Tupperware container from the cupboard and scraping the remnants of Bolognese off of the bowl.

“Thank you,” she whispered, feeling ashamed that her son was having to care for her when it was supposed to be the other way around.

“It’s gonna be okay, Mom. We’re going to find her and we’re going to help get our Emma back.”

_‘Our Emma,’_ bounced from one side of her head to the other before planting itself down and settling there.

Regina nodded and wrapped her arm around Henry’s shoulder. He was taller than she was now.

“Do you want me to make you some tea and bring it up to your bedroom or anything?” His offer was generous, but Regina shook her head quickly. Little did Henry know that she hadn’t been sleeping in her own bed. Not after everything that had happened. Instead, she’d ensure Henry was asleep and then tiptoe down the hall and settle under the sheets in the guest bedroom.

“That’s really sweet, but I’m okay.”

“If it’s alright with you, I think I’m going to join Grandpa tonight on his patrol. I want to help find her just as much as you do.”

“Henry, absolutely not.” The softness in her tone and weakness in her lungs vanished and her imperious voice returned for the first time in a week. “I’m already worried about her, I don’t want to be worrying about you, too.”

“She would never hurt me. You know that.”

“That’s not a risk I’m willing to take.”

“So – what? We’re just going to sit here twiddling our thumbs until she decides to show up? What if she never comes back?”

Those last words stung and for an entirely selfish reason.

“She will. I know she will.”

He looked at her in disbelief. “I can’t believe you’re willing to just sit back and do nothing. You know she’d be out there looking for you day and night and never giving up on you.”

He was right – and it felt like she’d been burned.

“I know,” she whispered, feeling the shame scald her, inside and out.

“We can’t just sit around and hope she’ll come home to us. We need to try.” He was adamant as he stepped in front of her with both hands resting on her shoulders.

She hesitated for a moment, pressing her lips together.

“Okay,” she sighed in defeat. “You can go patrol with David. You’re right, she wouldn’t hurt you.” Henry might not know everything, but he was right about that.

He hugged her and then extended his arms out, keeping his hands on her shoulders.

“We’ll find her. She wouldn’t leave us. I know it.”

Before she could find the words to reply, Henry was grabbing his phone and heading out the front door. She felt the crease in her forehead burrow deeper into her skin as the front door shut behind him.

She grabbed his dinner plate, which had been scraped clean with the fork that lay atop it, and wandered toward the kitchen. Standing in front of her sink, her back casually leaning against the granite, was Emma with an amused look on her face.

A spectrum of emotions coursed its way through Regina in waves. Anger, unamusement, frustration, but mostly relief.

“Trying to keep my own son from me again, Madam Mayor?”

“He’s _our_ son,” she corrected with a sharp tongue. This was the last argument she needed. She barely had enough energy for a conversation, let alone a fight that had been resolved years ago.

“You know I would never hurt him.” Her words felt crisp coming off of her tongue. Her gaze bore into Regina and it suddenly felt like there wasn’t at least six feet distancing them from one another.

“No, Miss Swan. I _don’t_ know that. Because you won’t talk to anyone. Nobody has even seen you in a week. We have no idea what you’re up to and it’s putting the entire town on edge.”

Regina blinked and before her eyes finished opening, Emma was three inches away from her face.

“The entire town? Or just you?” She looked at Regina in amusement, as if she were waiting for Regina to writhe under her dark gaze.

“What are you even trying to do, Emma? Do you miss pissing me off so badly that you’ve decided to start it up again?” Regina rolled her shoulders back and brushed her off, sick of feeling like she had the disadvantage in every conversation they’ve had since Emma’s name etched itself into the dagger.

“I did miss it a little,” Emma muttered. “It has always been way too easy to get under your skin. I enjoy watching you get all worked up.”

Regina didn’t know why, but that sentence made her body heat surge and her stomach muscles flutter under her dress. She scoffed and turned to walk toward the sink with the dirty dish, eager to hide her face.

“Do you see what I mean?”

Regina dropped the dish in the sink and glared over her shoulder. “If you think this is me getting worked up when I’m simply trying to wash some dishes, I have some news for you, Miss Swan.”

“You’re awfully sure of that for someone I left trembling a week ago.”

Regina stopped what she was doing. She turned to face Emma directly now as she took two steps closer.

“Excuse me?”

“You didn’t even try to hide it, did you?” Emma mocked. “You haven’t been properly fucked in so long that you were practically writhing at the slightest physical contact.”

Regina dragged her teeth over the skin inside her cheeks as her eyes narrowed.

“Have I made you speechless already, Regina?”

“I don’t see any point in engaging in conversation with you when you’re clearly delusional.”

“Delusional? Maybe. Or maybe I’m just getting inside your head.”

“You wish. I have much more important things to think about. Like how to keep the town safe while you’re on the loose.”

“And yet, you’re here washing dishes in the comfort of your kitchen when our son and my parents are the ones out looking for me.”

This comment struck Regina’s last nerve.

“You don’t think I’ve been doing my fair share of work to keep everyone safe?” She snapped, drawing her hand up, ready to let her fist collide with the smug look on Emma’s face.

Emma smiled and shook her head. “Nope. I don’t.”

She brought her fist back, making an effort to swing, but Emma caught her by the wrist – halting her in her tracks. She froze, her eyes burning into Emma.

“It’s okay, your majesty. You’re used to sitting around and telling others what to do. Letting them clean up the messes you’ve made while you sit on your throne and look down on your subjects. Tell me, what’s it like ruling a kingdom of people who don’t respect you?”

Regina bared her teeth as she felt her free hand produce fire in her palm. But Emma put it out with just a glance.

“Don’t bother. You can’t hurt me, Regina. Not with your words. Not with your fists. And certainly not with your magic. You’ve got _nothing_.”

“Miss Swan, I will not repeat myself so listen carefully. I know you’re incapable of doing as you’re told, but you are to leave my house. Now. And do not even think about coming back.”

“Oh, but Regina,” Emma began as she brought Regina’s hand down, her fingers still wrapped around her wrists. “If I leave now, then you’ll be stuck here all alone lying in the guest bedroom longing for my return.”

Regina’s eyes bulged, but she quickly concealed it with a smirk as a sculpted eyebrow shot up.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, no? So, you haven’t been spending your free time thinking about my lips on yours? I bet you’ve been waiting for me to come back, in hopes of me doing it again.”

“Ha,” she scoffed audibly in an amused tone. “I hardly would call me resenting you for forcing yourself on me anything close to _longing_.”

“You’re tired, you’re lonely, and you probably saw me in the kitchen tonight and thought I was here to come kiss you again.”

“You really are even more delusional than I thought. If you think I want you to kiss me, let alone even be near me right now, you should pay a visit to Doctor Hopper.”

“You sure, Regina? You seem a little… shaky to me.”

“I’d say I’ve earned the right to be fed up. You have the nerve to come into _my_ home and make false accusations about how I feel? How dare you,” she spewed. “Who do you even think you’re kidding, Em-ma?”

“What I can’t seem to figure out, though, Madam Mayor, is why I’m able to get so deep under your skin when I’m like this. Maybe you actually prefer me like this? Maybe that’s why you’re so mad. I’m suddenly the one with all the power and you hate that it turns you on.”

“Turns me on? Really, Emma? You’ve fucking lost it.” Regina shook her off and turned her attention back to the dishes.

Emma grabbed her waist, her chest pressing up against Regina’s back. She expected to feel Regina tense, but instead, she shivered. Emma brushed the dark hair that tumbled well beyond her shoulders now over to one side. Her lips ghosted over the bare skin at the base of her neck and Regina’s breath hitched as she turned the faucet to raise the water temperature.

“Tell me to stop and I will,” Emma whispered against her skin – her breath setting a fire down Regina’s side.

Regina didn’t say a word. Emma gripped the metal zipper resting on the center of Regina’s shoulder blade and slowly tugged it down an inch. When Regina still didn’t pay any attention to her, she grabbed her by the waist once more and spun her around.

“Emma,” she snapped, striking her final nerve, her chest heaving.

“Yes, your majesty?”

“Get out of my house.”

“Make. Me.”

Regina grabbed at the back of Emma’s head and yanked her closer. Their lips crashed together as they both moaned in tandem. This kiss was just as hard as the others, but Regina felt her eyes fall shut this time. She knew it was a foolish decision – it seemed like every time she closed her eyes after Emma got what she wanted, she’d open them to find herself standing in an empty room.

But when she opened her eyes, Emma’s eyes were shut softly as she deepened the kiss and pushed Regina harder up against the granite countertop. The surface ledge cut into her hip, but she didn’t yell out. Instead, she groaned into Emma’s mouth.

Emma spun her again. She gripped Regina’s slender wrists with one hand and pinned them against the base of her back, forcing her to arch instinctively. Regina didn’t know what was happening, but she did know that she didn’t want Emma to stop.

She felt something new buzzing inside of her. This lack of control that was spilling out from her in tandem with the arousal pooling out of her cunt.

Emma’s free hand reached for the metal zipper once more, tugging it down until the fabric folded outward, exposing Regina’s toned, olive skin.

“Look at you,” Emma ogled just before her lips pressed against Regina’s warm skin just below her shoulder. She wasn’t delicate as she nipped at tender flesh. When Regina cried out, her body jerked and her breath hitched. Emma laughed.

“Oh, Madam Mayor. I’ve barely touched you, and you’re already trembling. I bet you’re soaking wet for me already, too, aren’t you?”

Regina pressed her lips together and shook her head, but the way she squeezed her thighs together at Emma’s words gave Emma the answer she was looking for, and she could feel Emma’s cunning smirk burning into her without being able to see her face.

“Answer me.”

Instead, Regina nodded. “Find out for yourself,” she hissed back with what little dignity she had left.

“Oh, your majesty. So desperate to be fucked _already_?” Her voice was husky as her fingertips crept under the hem of Regina’s dress, slowly working their way up her hot thigh. Regina parted her legs, granting her access. She knew she was giving Emma exactly what she wanted, but she was desperate.

When Emma’s hand pulled away, Regina groaned.

“Miss Swan, if you don’t fuck me I swear to—”

The looming threat was cut short as Regina felt Emma reach around and pinch at a hardened nipple.

“Fuck.”

“For a queen, you have quite a way with words,” Emma mocked as she toyed with the nipple between her thumb and index finger, relishing in the way Regina’s body was arching further into her without even realizing. She squeezed at her grip on Regina’s wrists that she still hadn’t relinquished, reminding her that she was trapped under the weight of Emma’s frame.

“Tell me again,” she whispered against Regina’s neck before sucking on her pulse point until it bruised. “What do you need?”

Regina was whimpering, feeling more turned on and out of control than ever before. “Emma, please.”

“I said,” Emma snapped. She let go of her wrists and tugged at dark locks, forcing Regina to look over her shoulder and up at her. “Tell me, Madam Mayor. Look at me and tell me. What do you _need_?”

Regina felt her arousal drip down her thigh and she quivered. “I need you to fuck me.” Her voice was calmer than she anticipated, but as soon as Emma released her hair, she dropped her head in shame.

Emma gripped her hips and forced Regina to face her. She grabbed Regina’s jaw until their eyes met. The soft green color of Emma’s eyes made Regina remember the old Emma was still inside of her and, for some reason she couldn’t quite place in her current state of arousal, that made her feel safe.

“Kiss me,” Regina pleaded – not caring that her voice sounded destitute of pride.

Emma nodded once before tilting her head and letting her lips capture Regina’s. In tandem, her index finger brushed over Regina’s soaked folds. The way Regina’s lips parted into a gasp allowed Emma to deepen the kiss and she pushed two fingers deep inside of Regina.

Regina felt a whirlwind of pleasure cloud her mind as all of her senses flooded with Emma Swan.

No longer caring about retaining her dignity, she lifted one leg and wrapped it around Emma. It settled at the dip behind her knee and she pulled it in tighter, as if her body were trying to express her desire for Emma to get closer than she already was.

“More,” Regina moaned into her mouth.

“So demanding,” Emma teased as she bit down on Regina’s bottom lip and heard her cry out once more. Adding a third finger, she curled her fingers up inside of Regina’s cunt. The feel of her gushing onto Emma’s hand only further encouraged her as she picked up her pace, occasionally brushing her thumb over Regina’s clit.

“Emma, fuck. Oh– god, yes.” She was beyond the capacity of forming coherent sentences as years and years of sexual tension that she refused to admit she felt toward Emma Swan finally came to a climax.

Emma gripped at the back of Regina’s neck, tangling her fingers through thick, dark hair. Holding Regina tight, she curled her fingers up inside of her again until she felt Regina coming undone.

Regina’s body trembled, and she planted her foot back on the ground to try and anchor herself, but Emma already brought her hand down around her waist to keep her steady. As she abandoned everything she thought she knew about herself, Regina found herself at the mercy of the one person she swore she’d never allow to be her undoing.

As Regina’s breathing slowed, Emma loosened the grip on her waist only slightly so that she could run her thumb over the fabric of Regina’s dress. The friction against her fingertips forced her to shut her eyes for just a brief moment.

“Emma,” Regina finally whispered, her voice breathy and full of need. She unwound herself from the hold Emma had on her as she began to lean in to place a kiss on Emma’s neck.

“No, don’t.”

Regina looked up at her with confusion in her eyes. Trying again, she reached her hand out toward Emma’s cheek, but Emma just quickly shook her head. Regina swallowed as her chest tightened.

“Emma,” her voice was softer as the need to touch Emma caused her fingertips to ache. “I need you.”

“I gave you what you needed.”

“I–”

Emma only shook her head again, shifting her gaze toward the corner of the room. Taking two steps backward, her eyes filled with confusion and lust and anger all at once. She lifted her hand, disappearing instantly in a cloud of grey smoke.

Regina blinked, standing alone in her kitchen with her dress hitched up to her waist and her back exposed, the fabric now draped off of her shoulders.


	4. Chapter 4

Regina did everything in her power to keep her mind occupied. She had to. If she didn’t, it would flow back to thoughts of Emma and the way she made her feel. Not only had she been longing to be touched again, even though less than 48 hours had passed, but she wanted – no, she needed – an explanation.

She needed to know what Emma was doing. Why this had become a sort of game for her. Was this about manipulation and control? Because Regina didn’t buy that for a minute. Not after seeing the look on her face when Regina tried to touch her.

Emma looked angry, yes. But more than that, she looked afraid and confused and alone.

She sat outside the muted grey house in the watery hours of the cold morning, but she knew Emma wasn’t home without having to knock on the door. Aside from Emma showing at her house two nights ago, nobody else in town had managed to spot her. But, still, she tried.

‘ _Emma would never give up on you_ ,’ Henry’s words echoed in her memory.

Rapping her knuckles on the front door, she heard nothing but silence. With a flick of the wrist, she unlocked the door and pushed her way inside. It’s not like Emma was one to respect boundaries at this point – so she didn’t feel any guilt as she stepped past the foyer.

“Miss Swan?” She tried calling out for her, but she could already tell Emma wasn’t here. It felt like nobody had been here for weeks. “If you can hear me, or if you’re watching me somehow, show yourself.” She realized quickly that she was tossing commands into nothingness.

“Emma. We need to talk,” she tried one last time.

Huffing, she frowned and walked toward the door and slid back into the driver’s seat of her Mercedes. She drove to Granny’s, attempting to fall back into her normal day-to-day routine of grabbing coffee and heading to her office.

The town seemed more like itself again, despite the absence of its sheriff. Nothing had caught fire in over a week and, aside from the Charming family and her son, most of the town seemed to be in less of a panic that the town was about to crumble. Even Granny seemed calmer today than usual as she greeted Regina with a smile.

“We can’t give up hope,” Regina heard Mary Margaret whine to Ruby as she scooped up a forkful of eggs. “Oh. Good morning, Regina.”

Regina sat down at the counter beside her, offering Ruby a wave to let her know she wanted her morning coffee.

“I saw Emma,” she said softly.

She wanted to tell someone since the first time it happened. And after the second time, she knew she should. But it took until now for her to bring it up. Part of her was nervous to encourage any unwarranted hope, and she knew that if Henry found out, he wouldn’t rest until he tracked her down. But her patience for coming up with a plan was running thin, and she hoped that spilling her confession out loud would help spark a new idea.

“You- you what?” Mary Margaret whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. “Are you sure? Where? When?”

Ignoring most of her questions, Regina shrugged slightly.

“She came to my house the other night. I wasn’t sure it was wise to tell anyone.”

“We need to tell David.” Her tone was fluttering as she rummaged through her purse to locate her cell phone.

Regina extended her arm, laying it gently on the top of her hand to stop her in her tracks.

“This is why I was hesitant to tell you.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “When I saw Emma, she was– well, she wasn’t herself.”

“Well, of course she wasn’t herself, Regina.”

“What I meant is that… we don’t know what her motives are. If we know anything about Emma, we know that we can’t come to her. We have to let her come to us and on her own terms.”

Nodding, Mary Margaret silently showed that she knew Regina was right. Regina gave her a reassuring smile.

“I have a plan,” Regina whispered. She wasn’t confident in her words, but suddenly, it became clear what she could do to try and fix this horrific mess that she felt to blame for. She grabbed her coffee off of the counter and headed to her office.

She needed to see Emma again more than anything. But more importantly, she needed to figure out how to get the old Emma Swan back.

Her secretary greeted her with a cordial smile when she made her way into the City Hall building. Extending her index finger, she summoned the elevator and waited – her mind racing, but not coming up with any concrete plan.

The mound of paperwork that she’d left untouched earlier greeted her. She frowned, confident that this would do little to distract her. She grabbed a random paper from the pile. When she skimmed it and identified it as a budget proposal, she quickly tossed it aside.

Her mind wandered back to Emma once more and she groaned, feeling like every idea that came to her was quickly ruled out as a waste of time. The plan would require Emma to come to her, somehow let down her guard enough to open up, and maybe even reach a point where this version of Emma would trust Regina to help.

“God, this is hopeless,” she groaned as her face collapsed into her open palms. She shook her head as she raked back her dark hair. Rubbing at her temple, it provided little relief to soothe her incessant headache. The worst part was that the headache seemed to only disappear when Emma was around her — something that was a drastic change from how things used to be.

She looked around the room, hoping something would spark an idea of a plan, before letting out an exasperated sigh. She dropped her gaze back down to the stack of papers.

“No wonder you used to spend so much time showing up at the sheriff station to bother me. I’d be bored out of my mind here, too.” Emma’s voice was deep, the amusement in her tone evident.

Regina’s eyes flickered up at the sound of the first syllable, but quickly peered back down at her paper. Not that it mattered. Emma wasn’t even looking at her. She was pacing the office back and forth, running a slender finger over the mantle in amusement.

This was the only part of her plan she had managed to iron out so far – to lure Emma back in somehow and keep her close. She wasn’t sure what she had done to summon Emma this time, but she wouldn’t question it.

The longer she could keep Emma nearby, the easier it would be to get some answers. But she couldn’t let Emma know that, so she had to continue playing the part. If Emma had even the slightest hunch that Regina _wasn’t_ irked by her presence, she’d lose interest and leave.

‘ _Let her think she has the control_ ,’ she thought to herself.

“Emma,” she sighed, hoping her tone sounded as plain and unamused as possible. “What are you doing here?”

The sound of her name snapped her frosty gaze down a few inches until it landed on Regina.

“Did you miss me?”

Regina rolled her eyes, titling her head slightly to one side. “Emma, give it a rest. Whatever act you have going on – it’s exhausting.”

“And yet you keep trying to find me. Tell me, Madam Mayor, how many times did you break and enter into my home in the past week?”

“Oh, so you _are_ aware that people are actively out searching for you and trying to help and you keep pushing them away. Tell me, Emma. Do you enjoy watching the people who care about you suffer?”

Emma leaned across the desk, and Regina couldn’t help but drop her gaze over the cleavage spilling out of tight leather. Part of her hoped Emma would notice.

“I’m handling this on my own.”

Regina sighed, pushing herself up out of her seat. “You cannot be serious. Haven’t you learned by now that you don’t _need_ to push everyone away? And that doesn’t even begin to explain why you keep showing up to tantalize me when nobody is around.” She walked to the front of the desk. “Is that part of your plan to handle things?” Regina goaded as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“You’re worried about me.” It wasn’t a question.

“Of course I am – we all are.”

“And you’re happy to see me.”

“Stop it,” Regina snapped.

“Or what?”

Clearly Emma wanted to play, and Regina knew how to keep her in the game. She took a few steps forward to close the space between them, certain Emma wouldn’t budge. But when Emma moved out of her way to let her walk past, Regina felt a wave of disappointment that nearly knocked her off of her feet.

“You’re the one who keeps appearing everywhere I go. Don’t try to turn this on me.”

“As if you aren’t aching for it every night,” Emma muttered, taking two steps closer. Regina did her best to hide her smirk of approval – despite the reality that she still didn’t have a plan.

Regina scoffed. “Just because I had a moment of weakness and let you touch me doesn’t mean I’m thinking of you.”

“You remember I can always tell when you’re lying?”

“Please. You’re too arrogant for your own good.” Regina’s glower paralleled the annoyance in her tone.

This seemed to do the trick. Emma was inches from Regina now and she could feel her breath tickling her cheek.

“You didn’t seem to mind it when you were coming all over my hand two days ago, your majesty.”

Regina jerked as a shiver ran down her spine. She cursed inwardly at her body’s betrayal. This was not about getting Emma in her pantsuit, it was about getting some answers.

“That- that is not the point.”

“So you won’t even deny it?” Emma’s laugh cut through the tension in the air and only made Regina’s insides coil up tighter. Her thighs clamped together in response.

“Miss Swan, unless you are capable of having an adult conversation, I suggest you leave my office.”

Emma took a step back and Regina let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding from being in such close proximity to Emma once again.

“Is that _really_ what you want?”

“Can you just tell me what the hell is going out?” Regina huffed. “What are you planning?”

“Maybe I’m not planning anything.” Emma’s tone sounded like she was bored of this conversation and Regina recognized it immediately.

Changing her tactic, she decided to throw a curveball.

“Then why are you wasting your time appearing in my home when you won’t even make time to see your parents or your son? Do you not care about Henry now that you’re like this? Maybe you’ll leave him behind just like you did when he was born.”

Emma’s rage burned in her eyes as she stepped even closer into Regina’s space.

“How dare you go and throw that in my face right now?”

The venom spewing off of her tongue was enough to sting Regina. She nearly flinched as she kept pushing her.

“It must be the truth. Perhaps it’s a Dark One habit – Rumple let his precious Baelfire go just because he was afraid of losing his power. Maybe you’re just following a trend, Miss Swan.”

“I would never abandon my son,” Emma snapped.

“Then why won’t you see him?” Regina nudged. Their lips were so close, Regina felt her mouth go dry.

Emma pushed Regina backward with a shove – the impact of the drywall sent a shooting pain down Regina’s back. Regina wrapped her arm behind her to try and rub at the pain, but Emma was hovering over her now and she gripped her wrist.

Regina knew that continuing this conversation wouldn’t bode well, but she needed answers.

“So I’m right – you don’t care.”

Part of her wanted to squeeze her eyes shut to brace herself for the blow she anticipated, but instead, she blinked only once as she felt Emma’s words echo in her ear.

“I’m afraid to hurt him.”

Her voice was shaky for the first time, and Regina’s bottom lip trembled slightly.

“Wha- what?”

“I won’t say it again.”

Regina blinked, unsure if she understood her correctly. “You feel out of control."

“Never mind, Regina. Forget I said anything.”

But Regina was finally getting somewhere, and she wasn’t stopping now. No, she had to try.

“And yet, you seem to have absolutely no boundaries when it comes to me? You seem to enjoy showing up here just to make my day even more difficult. God, Emma. How can you be so selfish?”

“Excuse me?” Emma spat back.

“Do you have any idea how painful it is to watch Henry go out looking for you every night when I already know you’re here, but I can’t tell him because how could I possibly break our son’s heart and tell him his mother doesn’t want to see him but has no problem treating me like a late-night booty call?” Regina’s voice sounded more like herself again as she studied Emma.

“Yeah, well,” she scoffed. “We all had to make sacrifices. Didn’t we, Regina?”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? I did not ask you to do this!”

“I’m the Savior, whatever the hell that even means anymore.” The oozing sarcasm reminded Regina that Emma was still in there. “Do you have _any_ idea what kind of burden that puts on a person when I had to save you from whatever the darkness would’ve end up turning you into?” Emma made it sound like an insult, but Regina knew it was true.

“Oh, don’t get all noble on me. We could have found another way.”

“There was no other way,” Emma said flatly.

Daring to reach a hand out, Regina rubbed at Emma’s arm, but Emma quickly shrugged her off.

“Let me help you.”

“I don’t want your help. I told you – I’m handling it!”

I can see that,” Regina scoffed. “Now will you answer my question or do you intend to waste my time for the entire duration of the afternoon. Why are you here, Miss Swan?”

“Because,” Emma’s voice softened until it was barely audible. “The only time I feel like myself and not the fucking Dark One is when I’m around you.” As soon as the confession left her lips, she turned to look away.

Regina blinked, shaking her head softly.

“You- you do?”

Emma only nodded, still not meeting her gaze.

“So let me get this straight,” Regina dared to push this further, pouring it all out on the floor in front of her. “You feel more in control of your actions when you’re around me because the darkness isn’t driving you to fight with me — it’s driven by your own anger?”

Emma shook her head. “Not anger, no.”

Suddenly, Regina understood. When it came to anyone else, fighting was fueled by anger. But fighting with Emma always gave her a different kind of satisfaction. Sure, the power struggle for control gave her some sort of intoxicating high. But it also gave her a purpose. And the rush of adrenaline and desire she always felt never hurt either.

“Oh,” was all Regina could muster. Nodding, she finally understood what Emma needed from her. “You need the control. You need it to feel better.”

Emma nodded, and Regina smirked, taking this as an opportunity to not only get what she craved, but to help Emma as well.

“Well, that’s the most pathetic thing I’ve ever heard, Miss Swan.”

A fire ignited in Emma’s eyes and Regina bit at her bottom lip, unable to contain the smirk crawling on her lips.

“It’s as if you came all the way over to my office just to try and fuck me again. Remind me again which one of us is desperate?” Regina prodded, her mocking tone stirring something familiar inside of her.

“Try? Please. Two nights ago you were whimpering for me to fuck you harder and now you’re going to pretend like I’d have to _try_ to get you to beg me for it again. Madam Mayor, you’re capable of a lot of things – subtlety is not one of them.”

“So what? Now you think I’m your little whore and I’ll just sit here and get on my knees for you and beg? Ha,” Regina scoffed.

“Oh, your majesty,” Emma’s smug expression matched her mocking tone. “I’d never expect you to get on your knees. You’re a queen, after all.”

“I’m glad we’ve cleared th—”

“But we both know you’d do _exactly_ as you’re told as soon as I’ve made you feel desperate enough.” She cut Regina off as she gripped her jaw between her long, slender fingers. Regina swallowed, narrowing her eyes.

“Don’t waste your breath.”

“Don’t test me, Miss Swan.”

The caution in her words fell on silent ears as Emma closed the space between them and caught Regina’s bottom lip between her teeth.

Regina’s elongated moan was enough to show Emma that she didn’t want her to stop.

“One kiss and you’re already whimpering like a needy little slut,” Emma cackled.

Pulling away, Regina clenched her jaw.

“What the hell did you just say to me?” She never felt fury like this before – but she also never felt this aroused. She shifted her leg slightly to compensate for the developing wetness pooling into her panties.

“You heard me.”

“Call me that again and you’ll be lucky if you leave here with your tongue, let alone your life. Are we clear?”

Emma licked her lips as she raised an eyebrow. Regina hated the smug expression on her face but still felt herself getting wetter at the sight of it.

When Emma’s finger came up to trace Regina’s full, red lips, her hand was nearly smacked away.

“Did you lose your inability to comprehend the English language, Miss Swan? When you’re asked a question, you answer it.” Her fiery voice came back to her. She urged Emma to continue fighting as she felt, for the first time in ages, like she had gained the upper hand.

But as soon as Emma gripped at her waist and shoved her downward, that sensation left her – along with her inhibitions. She felt the cold mahogany against her thin material of her silky blouse and she suddenly wished the buttons were unfastened so she could get even more.

As if Emma could read her thoughts, Emma laughed and pulled her up again just to tug at the fabric until two of the buttons popped open.

“Much better,” Emma muttered as she pushed Regina back down again.

“You must have a death wish,” Regina recoiled, doing her best to avoid stammering on her words.

“Oh, don’t act like you’re not soaking wet right now. I can practically smell you.” Emma laughed again, and Regina wasn’t sure why something as simple as a laugh had such an immense effect on her arousal levels.

“I am not.”

“Care to place a wager on it, Madam Mayor?”

Regina pressed her lips together and subconsciously squirmed against the desk.

“Right. Now if you’ll shut your stupid mouth and stop protesting, you’ll get what you so desperately need.”

“I’m not desperate,” Regina scoffed, but her voice betrayed her.

“Then tell me to stop.” Emma took a step backward, releasing her weight on the small of Regina’s back that had her pinned into place.

Regina didn’t say a word. Instead, she quivered and she felt herself losing control once again. She knew if Emma stopped right now, she’d be left with an ache she’d never be able to soothe on her own.

“That’s what I thought,” Emma cooed as she leaned down, pressing her chest against Regina’s back as she quickly unbuttoned Regina’s slacks and tugged them down until they bunched at her thighs.

Instinctively, Regina shifted her weight up onto her tiptoes. She hadn’t meant to do so, but that didn’t stop Emma from noticing.

“Are you eager to be fucked already? I told you you were a needy slut. How does it feel to know you’re writhing on your desk and proving me right?”

“Emma,” Regina choked. Her face was pressed up against someone’s budget proposal that had been sprawled out on her desk, her blouse was ripped open, and her dress pants were sliding down toward her knees. She was defenseless.

“Yes, your majesty?”

“Fuck me.”

“Now, now. Where are your manners?” She ran her fingers over Regina’s soaked folds, wanting to properly ravish her – but exercising restraint. She knew what she wanted to hear, and she’d stand here all day teasing Regina until she got it.

“Mmmm.” All Regina could do was groan as her hips ground down on Emma’s fingers, crying out in desperation when she couldn’t find an ounce of friction. “Fuck.”

Emma tested Regina’s limits as she leaned down and kissed the base of her neck.

“You’re so wet, just like a whore should be,” she whispered against her flushed skin. Just as she expected, she felt more arousal pool out of Regina and onto her fingers.

“Fuck you,” Regina sputtered.

Emma raised an eyebrow. “That’s what I’m trying to do, but it seems I’ve had to stop to teach you some manners first.” She drew her hand away and brought it around to Regina’s lips. Greedily, Regina parted her lips. She sucked the taste of herself off of Emma’s fingers, not caring how pathetic she must look.

“Good girl,” Emma cooed, and Regina whimpered again – despite the fire in her eyes.

“Shut up.”

Emma’s hand came down on Regina’s bare ass and Regina shrieked just before emitting a moan. Finding the ache between Regina’s thighs, Emma began her torturously-slow strokes once more.

“What did I tell you, Madam Mayor? It seems _you_ are the one in need of some English comprehension lessons, hm?”

“Oh, how clever. Using my own words against me because you’re not clever enough to come up with your own.” Regina knew she’d regret saying that.

When Emma’s hand pulled away again, she groaned in shame.

“No. Emma.”

“Tell me what I want to hear.”

Regina grumbled, refusing to give in – no matter how badly she needed it.

“I want you to fuck me,” Regina said as her head fell forward. Her forehead pressed against the desk and she bit back tears of frustration.

“So use some fucking manners and say please,” Emma snapped as she began rubbing the length of her cunt once more.

Regina remained silent.

Emma pushed only one finger inside of Regina. She was so wet, it slid in with no resistance and Emma knew it was nowhere _near_ enough to satisfy Regina right now. She needed so much more. And she had every intention of giving it to her.

Squirming, Regina moaned as she arched her back.

“God, you look so beautiful arching up to take me deeper.” Emma voice didn’t sound so harsh this time. It sounded more like the old Emma and, for reasons Regina couldn’t begin to unravel right now, it turned her on even more.

“But I know you can take so much more than one pathetic finger, am I wrong?”

Regina shook her head, and Emma laughed. “Use your words.”

“No, you’re not wrong…”

“Well then it’s a shame you don’t know how to say please, your majesty.” She began fucking her again with the one slow finger.

“Emma,” Regina moaned.

“Yes?”

“I need more. Pl– please.”

A smile formed on Emma’s lips, but she wasn’t fully satisfied. She added a second finger and corkscrewed them deep inside of Regina. Regina’s appreciative moans drove her to increase the speed for another few moments before slowing.

“N– No,” Regina choked, her hands reaching forward to grip the ledge of her desk.

“Say it properly.”

“Wh– what?”

“You heard me.”

“Emma, please.” Her hips were buckling, and she was seconds away from tears.

“Please what?”

“Fuck me. Please, Emma. Please fuck me. I need you.”

A complacent grin crept over Emma’s face in tandem with a crimson blush that swept Regina’s cheeks. Emma unfastened her skintight pants and stepped out of them slowly. When Regina tried to turn and look back at her, she just pushed her back down harder into the desk.

Waving her hand between her thighs, she smirked. “See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Regina shook her head and then she felt it: the thick of a cock brushing up and down her cunt, teasing her. “Fuck, oh – fuck.”

“A queen deserves to be fucked nice and deep.” Emma bit her lip as she gripped at Regina’s hips. She pushed the length of herself half way inside of Regina’s ready cunt and relished at the sounds spilling past Regina’s lips as she fucked her slow.

“Harder. Emma, god.”

“I’m not sure you can take it,” Emma teased as she kept her pace.

Regina groaned. “I can. I’ll take anything you give me.”

Emma swore she had never heard a more beautiful sentence and she leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Regina’s shoulder blade before gripping at her hair. Tugging it back, Regina was forced to arch her back deeper as she took the full length of Emma’s dick.

“God, you feel so good,” Regina moaned, nearly sounding incoherent as her words mumbled with her moans.

Emma didn’t hold back now. Her blunt fingernails clawed into Regina’s side as she fucked Regina as hard as she could. Regina’s moans were louder than she had heard them before, but she didn’t bother to stifle them.

Sweeping her hand around Regina’s hips, she sought out her swollen clit. Pressing down and circling it gently, Emma watched as Regina rocked forward onto her toes and gripped at the ledge of the desk again.

“Emma, I’m coming. Oh, god. Oh–” She couldn’t finish her sentence. Her orgasm surged through every inch of her body as she trembled. Emma held her steady as she felt Regina’s come gushing out of her.

“Fuck, Regina,” Emma couldn’t help but moan as she kept her eyes glued on the woman coming undone for her. She slowly reached down and stroked her hipbone as she slowed her thrusts.

When Emma pulled out, Regina was still gasping as she struggled to steady her breath. Emma watched as she slowly sat up and she couldn’t help but smile when she saw the contented grin on her face.

Regina draped her arms over Emma’s shoulders, and they locked eyes for a moment that awoke something new inside them both. Leaning in, Emma captured Regina’s lips in a slow, wanton kiss. Moaning again, Regina reached behind Emma and unfastened the tightly-wound bun at the base of her skull.

“Wh– what are you doing?” Emma stammered.

Icy white hair tumbled down over Emma’s shoulders in loose waves and Regina smiled. She could’ve sworn she saw a flash of the old Emma Swan in that moment and Regina felt her cheeks go warm in response.

“You’re breathtaking,” Regina whispered. She took one strand between her fingertips, twirling it subconsciously. Emma’s body jerked back and she squeezed her eyes shut.

Emma stayed silent, her eyes flashing with a look of panic and despair.

“Emma,” Regina whispered.

But Emma shook her head and stood up, tugging at her clothes as she fastened her zipper.

“You don’t have to hide, Emma.” Regina’s soothing voice made Emma’s eyes burn. “I can help. Just _let me_ help.”

Turning away, Emma felt her posture drop as something scratched at the back of her throat. Regina was certain she knew what was coming – and she was helpless as she watched it happen.

“Don’t go,” Regina tried, anticipating a grey haze to form in front of her eyes before she could finish her plea. What she didn’t anticipate was Emma Swan fleeing on foot.

As she watched Emma run from her office, her chest tightened. She had a million conflicting emotions pulsing through her as she adjusted her clothing to make herself presentable before sprinting off in the direction that Emma had headed.


	5. Chapter 5

“Emma. Wait,” Regina called out into the empty street. There wasn’t a trace of Emma in sight as she pushed open the doors of City Hall. Her feet instinctively dragged her to the left.

Silently, she prayed she was headed in the right direction and would catch up with her.

Her heels danced along the pavement as she rushed down Main Street. Passing familiar faces, she frowned when she heard the roar of people shouting. Ignoring the noise, she continued her frantic pace in a direction she wasn’t even certain was the right one.

The sight of Emma refused to leave her mind. She could’ve sworn she saw Emma’s gaze soften and her eyes briefly flutter shut as Regina tousled the icy hair that fell past her shoulders.

Something was certainly wrong. That much she knew for sure.

The sound of someone shouting her name jolted her out of her trance. When she turned, she saw Ruby rushing up to her.

“Not now, Ruby. I need to find—”

“We saw Emma!” Ruby cut her off, her frantic tone matching the way her body was practically vibrating.

Regina blinked, waiting for her to say anything that would be of use to her.

“She just ran past here and was headed toward the town line,” Ruby’s voice sounded like she was struggling to get the words out fast enough.

Regina peered over at the small mob forming outside of Granny’s.

“What is going on here?”

“Everyone is freaking out. Grumpy already lit a torch. Regina, you have to help me.”

“Help you?” Regina’s confusion was buried by her frustration – she didn’t have time for this. She needed to find Emma.

“As soon as the town caught a glimpse of the Dark One, they started speculating. They’re saying she must be up to something now that she’s back in Storybrooke. We need to calm them down.” Ruby sighed as her voice trailed off.

Regina fought the desire to roll her eyes.

“She not up to anything,” she assured Ruby with a nod as she turned to walk away. “I’ll find her.”

But she couldn’t even take a step forward before she felt Ruby grabbing ahold of her forearm.

“You of all people know what a Dark One is capable of, Regina.”

Regina felt her temper rise as she huffed out a short breath, her gaze falling to the grip Ruby had on her arm. She was about to snap. But, instead, she found herself saying something she knew Emma would say if roles were reversed.

“No, she is **_just_** Emma. Now I suggest you let go of my arm so I can go stop her from doing whatever the hell you all think she’s going to do.”

Without another word, Ruby released her grip and Regina rushed off toward the town line. She didn’t see another sign of life along the way. The wind bit at her skin as the feel of defeat knocked her backward like a tidal wave.

‘ _I couldn’t have lost her again,_ ’ Regina thought to herself as she groaned out loud.

Pivoting on her heels, something inside of her halted her in her tracks. She caught sight of flattened leaves that appeared to form a trail into the woods. Without hesitation, she pushed aside a long tree branch and cleared the path for herself. Her heels sunk into the Earth as she pushed forward with uncertainty.

The passageway led her to a clearing in the woods and she recognized where she was immediately. Years ago, after a storm turned the town’s playground into a sight of devastation, she took the liberty of creating a new one.

She hadn’t been back here since.

Emma was sitting at the bottom of the slide, staring out into the dark, wooded nothingness that was engulfing them both. She looked smaller than Regina had ever seen before, with her knees tucked up against her chest.

The sound of rustling leaves snapped Emma’s gaze up to where Regina was standing, and she stood immediately with her hand up as a first mean of defense.

“Miss Swan, you can cut the act.”

“How the hell did you find me here?” Emma’s tone sounded sharp – as if what had just occurred in Regina’s office had been wiped from memory. The way her hand was raised made Regina question whether she was about to use her magic to light a tree on fire or just to ball her hand into a fist of rage.

“I told you not to underestimate me. I guess you never learned.”

Emma’s eyes went dark as she stormed up to Regina, but Regina didn’t flinch.

“You’re right, I did underestimate you. I underestimated how stupid you must be to keep chasing after me. How many times do I need to repeat myself, Regina? I don’t want you here.” The last few words came out slow and precise as her mouth inched closer.

Ignoring Emma’s words, she only scoffed. “That’s rich coming from someone who keeps appearing before me whenever it’s convenient.”

“You didn’t seem to be complaining earlier.”

Regina rolled her eyes. “Are you going to tell me what that was about back there? Or are you going to keep playing games? When will you realize I am trying to help you?

“The only person you’re trying to help is yourself. Don’t try to act like you’ve ever been capable of doing anything selfless in your life.”

Before she knew it, Regina pressed both palms against Emma’s chest and shoved.

“What? Tired of fighting with your words, Madam Mayor?” Emma laughed as she stood up straighter. Regina’s push was unanticipated, but it only managed to stumble her backward a few inches.

“No. I’m sick of the sight of your smug face,” was all Regina could muster before she felt the impact of Emma’s open palm colliding with her cheek.

She could barely acknowledge the sting before she plunged forward, striking Emma across the face with a hard blow.

When Emma looked up, her eyes were ablaze with rage and maybe something else.

“Very classy of you, your majesty.”

“I told you to stop talking,” Regina said as she shoved her until her back thudded hard against the trunk of the tree.

Regina hated the fact that she felt aroused in that moment – and all she wanted, deep down, was for Emma to push her backward into the nearest tree and kiss her until she lost her breath.

Instead, she felt the familiar sting that she knew only magic would inflict. Before she could register what was happening, a muted lemon glow emanated off of Emma’s palm and she was being tossed across the forest.

When she collided with the thick of the tree behind her, her body collapsed on the cold ground. Suddenly, everything went black.

*******

The pain in her limbs was nothing compared to the way the ringing in her ears was causing her head to pound. And yet, she could’ve sworn she felt a soothing brush of fingertips sweeping across her cheek.

As her eyes fluttered open, Regina groaned.

She took in the familiar sight of her bedroom and blinked in confusion. She shifted her weight onto her side and rolled over to peer behind her. Emma was sitting at the edge of her bed, barefoot, with her legs crossed.

“Emma?” Regina’s voice cracked when she tried to speak.

The sound of Regina’s voice caused Emma’s head to turn, and Regina saw the look of relief flooding her sad eyes.

“How did we get here?” Regina felt her forehead creasing.

Emma stayed silent, tears threatening to fall if she tried to speak.

Changing her strategy, Regina brought her voice to a whisper. “I haven’t slept in here since— well, since that night you showed up in here.”

She knew this wasn’t new knowledge for Emma. She had dropped a casual mention of Regina’s guest bedroom the other day in her office. But Regina hoped her confession would help Emma realize she was trying to avoid conflict, giving her a safe space for her to open up.

“You haven’t?” Emma’s eyes flicked upward until green met mocha.

Regina shook her head once, then winced when she realized that only made her head ache.

“I couldn’t,” she admitted softly.

Emma’s face fell again, so Regina continued.

“Why did you stay?”

“I would never leave you – not without making sure you were okay.”

Regina smiled, realizing that this was the first time Emma had openly admitted she was worried about anyone but herself among all of this chaos.

“Well, forgive me for thinking otherwise. You did throw me into a tree,” Regina laughed but winced once more.

“I didn’t mean to.” Emma looked away, her eyes falling on an empty spot on the wall. “I told you not to help me, and now look what I’ve done.”

Regina tried to sit up but failed, pain ricocheting through her muscles. “You could have healed me. Your magic may be darkened now, but it still works. Believe me, I know.”

Emma appreciated Regina’s attempts to lighten the situation with her usual snarky tone, but deep down, she was ashamed. She never meant to let herself get carried away to the point where she’d put Regina in danger.

“I’ve– I haven’t been using magic. Not really.”

“Emma, look at me.”

When Emma ignored her command, she repeated herself.

“Emma,” her voice was softer this time – pleading, almost. “Look at me.”

Emma’s forest eyes looked like she was lost. The way the bloodshot-red coloring was rimming around the whites of her eyes looked stark and foreign. Regina wanted nothing more than to cup one hand around her face and tell her everything would be okay.

“I haven’t been using my magic because I can’t control it. I refused to let myself hurt anyone.”

Regina scoffed at the irony.

“So, what? Your grand plan was just to hide out forever and avoid everyone who cares for you until the end of time?”

“No. I would eventually find a way to rid myself of the darkness.” Emma’s tone didn’t match the uncertainty of her words.

“You of all people know that you can’t do that on your own. Believe me, I know. And more importantly,” she paused to reach her hand out. She grabbed Emma’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “You didn’t _have_ to.”

“You keep saying that. But how would anyone be able to help me? The only person who could possibly understand what I’m going through is Rumplestiltskin and, from what I hear, he’s not holding up too well these days.

For a reason she couldn’t quite understand, these words felt like a slap in the face for Regina – a pain much worse than anything else her body was currently experiencing. Sure, she was never the Dark One. But she faced her fair share of darkness in her lifetime and Emma was the one who fought to help her through it.

“Emma, you know the person I used to be—”

“Do not compare yourself to me,” Emma snapped. “You have **_no_** idea what this feels like. If I involved you and Henry and my parents, someone would’ve wound up hurt. And you’ve only proved that to be true. Because god forbid you ever listen to a word you’re told and stop forcing yourself into business that isn’t of concern to you.”

She knew Emma was snapping at her in attempt to push her away. But she wasn’t going anywhere.

“Does that make you feel better, Miss Swan? Does it make you feel better to belittle me when I’m already defenseless?”

“Don’t ‘ _Miss Swan_ ’ me. Not now.”

“Start acting like Emma again and maybe I’ll stop.”

Emma stood, and the shift in the bed made Regina recoil in pain. Emma inched closer to her until she was looming over Regina’s curled-up form.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Emma repeated, her voice ridded of any callousness. “Not like this.”

“Do you remember when my sister first came to town?”

Emma frowned, unsure where Regina was going with this. She nodded.

“Remember how my magic wouldn’t work on her because I was using dark magic?”

“Yes,” Emma said flatly, quickly beginning to understand what Regina was saying. “But this is different.”

“Emma, it’s not.” She tried to sit up and she nearly cried out as every bone in her body protested. “The light magic – it’s still inside you. You just need to learn how to channel it.”

Emma shook her head.

“Please,” Regina begged. She wasn’t sure if it was driven by the pain she was in or the fact that she so desperately needed Emma to at least give this a try. She chalked it up to being a little of both.

Emma finally nodded, silently agreeing as she sat back down. Her hand fell to Regina’s face for a moment and she stroked her cheek. Regina’s eyes fell shut at the tenderness and delicacy of her touch.

When Emma lifted her hand, it immediately began to tremble. The combination of nerves and the fear that she’d end up hurting Regina further was having an affect on her that she felt helpless to control.

“I– I can’t,” she whispered. She began to draw her hand away.

But Regina’s hand reached up, grabbing her gently by the wrist to stop her from withdrawing. She swept her thumb back and forth over pale skin.

“Emma. I know you. And I also know that if anyone can do this, it’s you.”

“What if I make everything worse?”

“You won’t.”

The certainty in Regina’s words made Emma relax, her body finally allowing herself to exhale now. Slowly, she concentrated on the task at hand. She focused on how badly she wanted to rid herself of this burden. On how strong she knew she was, deep down. On how much she wanted Regina to be free of this agony. On the way Regina made her feel safe.

As her hands swept over Regina’s body, she felt an old sensation wash over her. The light magic flowing out of her that she thought she’d never feel again was there – beneath her fingertips. She nearly choked as she began to cry.

Regina closed her eyes, slowly feeling the pain seep out of her bones as a sense of relief and pride overwhelmed her. A soft smile crept over her face and a stray tear slipped down over her cheek.

When Emma pulled her hands away, she collapsed on top of Regina.

“God, I’m so sorry. I never meant for this to happen,” her voice splintered as she struggled to get her words out between soft sobs of relief.

Regina threw her arms around Emma’s body, suddenly wishing she were engulfed in the smell of the old Emma she knew. One that smelled of vanilla with notes of grapefruit and clean shampoo, versus this version that smelled like musk and smoky forest wood.

“It’s okay. I’m right here,” she reassured Emma as she ran her fingertips up and down her leather-clad back. She desperately wished the layers of clothing between her fingers and Emma’s bare skin would vanish so she could comfort her properly.

Emma fell silent for a moment, her warm and steady breath hitting against the nook of Regina’s neck. With each exhale, Regina felt herself relaxing deeper as every sense became overwhelmed by all things Emma Swan.

“Thank you,” Regina whispered. “I knew you could do it.”

Emma sat up with a soft nod, wiping away a fallen tear. Regina followed suit – sitting up and reaching to grab Emma’s shoulder. She let her hand wander until she could cup Emma’s cheek.

Emma smiled, tilting her head so it could fall deeper into Regina’s palm.

“You always did see something in me that nobody else ever could – especially me.”

“I could say the same for you about me,” Regina laughed softly. The Emma that sat in front of her was still dark and twisted, but underneath the leather and ice was the fiery, fierce woman she grew to love.

“I’m sorry.”

For what, Regina wasn’t sure. But she nodded quickly. Was Emma apologizing for pushing her away? For hurting her in the forest? For toying with her for the past few weeks? The last one didn’t need an apology.

Still cupping Emma’s cheek, Regina’s lips curled up ever so slightly when she realized Emma didn’t pull away.

“We’re going to figure this out together.” Her words were concrete and sincere. “You sacrificed yourself and your happiness for my sake. You saved me, now I’m going to save you.”

Emma nodded as tears pricked at her eyes once more.

When Regina felt the weight of Emma’s cheek fall heavy into the palm of her hand, she realized Emma’s eyes fell shut in contentment. She took the opportunity to wrap her free hand around Emma’s body, untying the tightly-wound updo once more.

Emma didn’t protest as soft, long waves fell around her face and tumbled down over her shoulders.

“God, you’re so beautiful.” She released her hold on Emma’s cheek and combed her fingertips through Emma’s long hair.

“Even like this?”

“You really are an idiot, you know that?” She pushed the leather jacket off of Emma’s shoulders, careful not to make any sudden movement that might scare Emma away again. “ ** _Always_**.”

Emma felt a sudden lightness fluttering in her stomach and she could’ve sworn her heart was threatening to hammer its way out of her chest. She leaned in slowly, capturing Regina’s lips with her own. It wasn’t possessive like before. It wasn’t driven by greed or a craving for control. It was soft and safe and warm and _home_.

Regina’s fingers got lost in Emma’s long waves and she felt the brush of Emma’s tongue across her lips. She parted them instantly – deepening the kiss. They both moaned in tandem.

When Regina’s eyes blinked open, she couldn’t suppress her gasp. Gone were the icy white locks, the dark leather, the red-rimmed eyes, and the cold gaze. Before her stood Emma Swan. No darkness. Just Emma.

“Emma,” she gasped, toying with a long curl that had returned to its original shade of blonde.

“What?” Emma’s eyes went wide, unsure why Regina was looking at her like she’d seen a ghost. But then she caught a glimpse of her sleeve in the corner of her eye – the red leather jolting her gaze up to look at Regina with bewilderment.

“Emma, you—” The cold, pain-stricken look in Emma’s eyes that she’d been carrying for the past few weeks was mending back into the bright, soft green eyes that Regina never realized how badly she had missed.

“You– you saved me?” Emma blinked, staring at Regina with so much hope and love in her eyes.

“Well, it was only fair.” She let out a soft laugh and kissed Emma once more. Her lips were warm and the taste of salty tears mixed with the taste of her tongue.

Certain that she never wanted to let go, Regina pushed Emma backward until they tumbled down against the pillows. She pulled Emma free of the red leather jacket she was now wearing and watched as Emma’s eyes, bright and filled with lust and something else, studied her.

“Can I touch you?” Regina asked softly – her voice gentle, treading carefully. Her fingertips ached as they teased at the hem of the white tank top that had hitched its way up over Emma’s taut abdomen.

Emma nodded eagerly before pulling Regina down on top of her to kiss her again.

With delicate fingers, Regina worked to unzip Emma’s jeans, stripping her free of every layer until she was naked and writhing under Regina’s teasing fingertips.

“You have no idea how badly I’ve needed to touch you,” Regina confessed. She dragged her index finger through Emma’s folds and smirked down at her when she discovered how wet she already was.

“Oh, I think I have an idea.” Emma’s smugness returned and Regina cocked her head to one side as an eyebrow shot upward.

“Oh, yeah?” Regina challenged as she quickly pushed two fingers inside of her – eager to fuck that smirk off of Emma’s face.

Emma moaned at the feel of Regina inside of her, but her eyes refused to break away from Regina’s dark, hungry gaze.

“I told you, Madam Mayor. You’re capable of a lot of things. Subtlety is _not_ one of them, I’m afraid—”

“Stop talking,” Regina snapped as she added a third finger and curled them up inside Emma’s cunt.

But Regina’s commands proved to be unnecessary. Emma’s eyes fluttered shut and she was rendered speechless.

“God,” Emma choked as she moaned and lifted her hips off of the mattress.

“Maybe this will teach you not to question who is in control ever again.” Her pace quickened and she used her free hand to pin Emma’s hips down.

The weight of Regina’s body settled between Emma’s legs and her tongue brushed over Emma’s clit. Emma instinctively let her gaze fall to the sight of Regina’s mouth dragging its way over the top of her cunt. Regina looked up at Emma with eyes full of hunger and lust, and Emma nearly came just from the sight of her.

Curling her fingers deeper inside of Emma, Regina’s mouth found a rhythm to match her steady pace. She couldn’t help but moan at the way Emma tasted on her tongue. The vibration of her moans were what finally sent Emma over the edge as the base of her head dipped further into the crease in the pillow that it had created.

Regina felt Emma’s leg begin to tremble, and she didn’t let up. Not until Emma screamed out and grabbed at her thick hair – desperate to escape the overwhelming sensation Regina was still inflicting on her hypersensitive cunt.

“Come here,” Emma pleaded. Regina happily obliged as she crawled up and collapsed beside Emma, wrapping her arm around her to pull her closer.

Regina traced every inch of Emma’s warm skin that she could get her hands on. She was eager to spend the rest of the evening showing her just how grateful she was to have her back. Safe and in her arms.

“Thanks for not giving up on me,” Emma whispered as the reflection of the moon streaked through the blinds and illuminated the bedroom.

“I’ll always fight for you. Just like I know you would do for me.” She kissed her again slowly, dragging Emma’s bottom lip between her teeth. “I love you,” she whispered softly against her lips.

“I love you, too.” The pink of Emma’s cheeks returned – causing Regina to break down and sob all over again in relief and at the beauty of the woman before her.

After a few moments of blissful silence, Emma laughed softly.

“What is it?”

“How are we going to explain this to the rest of the town?”

Regina didn’t bother to address that concern. Instead, she grabbed her head and pulled her in for another kiss. And this time, she had no intention of ever pulling away.

*******

**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really loved writing and sharing this story with you all! It's been a ride and I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did. Find me on Twitter @courtneyhope_ and be sure to leave a comment below :) Love you all!


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